savage 110 fcp hs precision .338 lapua

I was just about to go down to sportsmans warehouse and buy a .338 lapua, until I looked at the foregrip on the stock. One side of the of the stock is barely touching the barrel and the other side has about an 1/8 gap. The people at sportsmans are idiots, no help at all. Apparently this is a hs precision stock, and I know they make a quality product. I dont think the barrel would be that far off. I called the store in another town, they had one in a 300wm with the same issue. I have done some reading, and apparently the savage recoil lug is junk. Could this be causing the issue? Couldnt find anybody else with this problem. It just worried me. I know I could shave some stock off, but dont really want to do that. In my opinion a $1400 rifle should be at least perfect to the naked eye. I could try to get the price down a bit. I know its cheap for a .338 lapua, but what gives? People tend to have good things to say about this rifle. Opinions, knowlage, advise welcome please.

The action screws may not have been torqued properly when it left production. Who knows? I always disassemble a rifle when I get it, check it out, reassemble and clean it. You may be able to straighten it out by putting the rifle butt down on the floor, centering the barrel in the channel and torqueing it down. JohnnyK.

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"The pleasure you get from life is equal to the attitude you put into it."

Savages recoil lugs are typically a little out of true square but nothing like that and not enough to matter or notice. That has to be an assembly issue. Stick an allen wrench set in your pocket and check it out in the store before you buy it.

The very first time I walked into a sportsmen's warehouse, I asked one of the guys at the counter if he had the then new taurus polymer in 40 or 45. He said "no but I got the 9mm which is much better anyway" No thanks guy I really want the 45 for moms carry gun but might settle for a 40. He then explains the US government designed the 9mm Luger during Vietnam to improve the stopping power over the outdated 45. "Idiot" is an understatement.

Sportsmen's or Cabelas, I don't even bother asking questions because I know 99% of the time they know nothing about anything. I come in knowing what I am after and consider myself lucky if the guy behind the counter hands me the one I asked for and pointed out on the first try.

Fun experiment: walk into cabelas or sportsmens and ask what the twist rate is, in any rifle on the shelf and marvel at the lack of comprehension (at least 9 out of ten I bet). I have had to explain barrel twist, what it is and why it matters more than once.

It is possible that the the action is not properly seated in the stock. Mine was loose when I got it. In my view the action, bedding design of this rifle is terrible, and a weak point of the rifle. I don't think it's so much that the barrel lug is undersized, it's the location of the bedding screws, and bedding block design. The rear screw is behind the bedding block and torques the action. You therefore have to pay close attention to the tightness of this screw as it will effect accuracy. If overtightened, it will effect the trigger function, and accuracy. My rifle is very accurate, but only after a lot playing with the torque on the screws. The front has to be 40#, the rear, 25#. IMHO.

IMHO, walk away. I wouldn't buy a car off the lot if the bumper was on crooked or the electronics were acting up. For a model (the 110) that has a good track record, why take a chance on one that is visibly weird? It is likely you can reassemble and fix it, or send it back to Savage, but there is also the possibility it is a lemon and will cause you fits (or even just bug you) forever.

Find one somewhere else, or buy one used if you are willing to take on a project or live with some imperfections . . .